1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to motor-driven compressors used in vehicle air conditioning systems to compress refrigerant, and more particularly, to motor-driven compressors having a motor driven by a power supply, such as a battery.
2. Description of Related Art
Motor-driven compressors are known in the art. For example, a known motor-driven compressor is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,321,563 B1, which is incorporated herein by reference. Such known motor-driven compressors are formed with a compressor housing containing a compression portion and a motor for driving the compression portion to compress refrigerant. In such known motor-driven compressors, the compressor housing has a cylindrical shape. The compression portion may be a scroll-type compression portion.
In such known motor-driven compressors, a three-phase current, brushless motor may be used. A plurality of coils are provided around a rotor connected to a rotation shaft of the motor, and these coils are provided within the compressor housing in a circumferential direction. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 15, each coil 1 of the motor is secured by a stator 2, which has a cylindrical shape. The rotor (not shown) may be disposed inside stator 2. The plurality of coils 1 may consist of a plurality of electrical wires 1a. The plurality of electrical wires 1a extending from each coil 1 is rolled and bundled in a circumferential direction around stator 2 at one end of stator 2. Each electrical wire 1a is connected to a motor drive circuit (not shown).
In such known motor-driven compressors, however, each electrical wire 1a is coated by insulating material, e.g., rubber, vinyl, or the like. As a result, a bundle of electrical wire 1a is thickened, and the space occupied by electrical wires la is increased. Consequently, the size of such known motor-driven compressor may increase.